Familial hemifacial spasm.
Three male patients in successive generations of the same family developed acquired left-sided hemifacial spasm. Magnetic resonance imaging of the proband demonstrated a pontine vertebral artery anomaly near the root of the affected facial nerve. This family and a similar family that was recently presented illustrate several interesting features: (1) hemifacial spasm, from whatever cause, may be autosomal dominant; (2) the spasms involve the same side of the face in affected individuals within an affected family; and (3) the age of onset in familial cases may be younger than in nonfamilial cases.
Carter
J B
JB
Department of Ophthalmology, Cullen Eye Institute, Houston, Tex.
Patrinely
J R
JR
Jankovic
J
J
McCrary
J A
JA
Boniuk
M
M
D000328:Adult; D005152:Facial Muscles; D005799:Genes, Dominant; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010375:Pedigree; D013035:Spasm / Q000235:genetics*